The mood in the room was at best, tense. Everyone was tired, hot, and frustrated. There were too many bodies in too small a space which meant that every move affected someone else. As the leader in the room, I was frustrated that I couldn’t seem to move the crowd past the little things that had added up to be big things. I stood up to try one more time to gain control. Instead of a rebuke, whatever words came out of my mouth were instead silly and lighthearted. They were the right words at the right time and instead of mumbling, I heard a chorus of laughter. Almost immediately the tone of the room changed.
Today I am grateful for laughter. Laughter helps our bodies release pent up emotions. Laughter causes our though patterns to change. Laughter allows us to be free, even if just for a moment, from the negative thoughts and feelings that come out in the form of anger. Laughter is a gigantic sigh of relief.
Looking across the room, all I could see where smiles now instead of frowns. Not only did it change the tone, it changed the course of events, it changed the rest of the day for us. It allowed us to begin communicating with each other from a different perspective. As the laughter continued, it broke the grip that tension had created. More random silliness began to be shared and instead of looking at each other with anger, we were looking at each other with smiles.
Everyone agrees that the sound of a baby laughing is in the top five best sounds ever. The sound of laughter, when it seemed impossible only a moment before, is also an encouraging sound. Yesterday it was completely unexpected but most certainly welcomed. It seemed to shatter the walls we had built up and allow us to see each other in a different light. Laughter is contagious and as it is shared from one person to the next, it becomes a positive shared experience, and that brings us closer together instead of farther apart.
All good gifts come from God (James 1:17) and laughter is certainly one of those gifts.
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy.” Psalm 126:2
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Luke 6:21
Laughter and joy seem to be inextricably linked. Let us seek to find laughter and let the joy follow.
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